CA1091054A - One-way clutch for auger agitator - Google Patents
One-way clutch for auger agitatorInfo
- Publication number
- CA1091054A CA1091054A CA276,473A CA276473A CA1091054A CA 1091054 A CA1091054 A CA 1091054A CA 276473 A CA276473 A CA 276473A CA 1091054 A CA1091054 A CA 1091054A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- agitator
- clutch
- teeth
- auger
- clutch member
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 230000033001 locomotion Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 40
- 238000005406 washing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 230000010355 oscillation Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 230000009471 action Effects 0.000 claims description 12
- 230000003534 oscillatory effect Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000005201 scrubbing Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000009977 dual effect Effects 0.000 description 9
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000007790 scraping Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005299 abrasion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000011358 absorbing material Substances 0.000 description 1
- DHKHKXVYLBGOIT-UHFFFAOYSA-N acetaldehyde Diethyl Acetal Natural products CCOC(C)OCC DHKHKXVYLBGOIT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 125000002777 acetyl group Chemical class [H]C([H])([H])C(*)=O 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000006872 improvement Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000465 moulding Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 1
- BALXUFOVQVENIU-KXNXZCPBSA-N pseudoephedrine hydrochloride Chemical compound [H+].[Cl-].CN[C@@H](C)[C@@H](O)C1=CC=CC=C1 BALXUFOVQVENIU-KXNXZCPBSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000000630 rising effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005728 strengthening Methods 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F13/00—Washing machines having receptacles, stationary for washing purposes, with agitators therein contacting the articles being washed
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- F16D41/00—Freewheels or freewheel clutches
- F16D41/18—Freewheels or freewheel clutches with non-hinged detent
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Textile Engineering (AREA)
- Main Body Construction Of Washing Machines And Laundry Dryers (AREA)
Abstract
"ONE-WAY CLUTCH FOR AUGER AGITATOR"
' ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A vertical-axis, automatic washing machine has a central drive shaft for oscillatably driving a first agitator portion with a clutch member splined thereto. The clutch has downwardly-facing teeth having drive surfaces and slip surfaces.
An auger or second agitator portion coaxial with the first agi-tator portion has cooperating upwardly-facing teeth. Upon a drive or forward oscillation of the drive shaft and first agi-tator portion, the drive surfaces engage one another to drive the auger portion in a stepwise rotation. During an opposite rotation of the first agitator portion, the slip surfaces en-gage one another and, where the contents of the washer basket retards a reverse movement of the auger, the teeth will slip past one another, with the clutch member reciprocating verti-cally upon its splined connection. An annular cushioning member placed between the clutch and the agitator parts cush-ions impacts between the teeth during such reciprocations by controlling the depth of tooth engagement. Thus, noise other-wise normally produced during ratcheting of the clutch is sub-stantially reduced.
' ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A vertical-axis, automatic washing machine has a central drive shaft for oscillatably driving a first agitator portion with a clutch member splined thereto. The clutch has downwardly-facing teeth having drive surfaces and slip surfaces.
An auger or second agitator portion coaxial with the first agi-tator portion has cooperating upwardly-facing teeth. Upon a drive or forward oscillation of the drive shaft and first agi-tator portion, the drive surfaces engage one another to drive the auger portion in a stepwise rotation. During an opposite rotation of the first agitator portion, the slip surfaces en-gage one another and, where the contents of the washer basket retards a reverse movement of the auger, the teeth will slip past one another, with the clutch member reciprocating verti-cally upon its splined connection. An annular cushioning member placed between the clutch and the agitator parts cush-ions impacts between the teeth during such reciprocations by controlling the depth of tooth engagement. Thus, noise other-wise normally produced during ratcheting of the clutch is sub-stantially reduced.
Description
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of_the Invention The invention relates to apparatus for changing oscil-latory rotary motion to stepwise unidirectional rotary motion.
The Prior Art A dual-action agitator generally includes a first . portion which oscillates in to-and-fro motions and a second or upper auger portion which rotates in unidirectional, stepwise motion$. The oscillating first agitator portion includes a .~ .
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' lower skirt portion and an upper barrel portion, the skirt portion carrying scrubbing vanes. The auger, carrying helical vanes, creates a downflow adjacent the agitator barrel in the wash receptacle and thereby causes positive rollover of the clothes being washed. It is known to use ratchet-type, spring-biased toothed clutches upon the oscillating drive shaft or a central portion of the oscillating agitator, whereby oscillatory motions drive the auger forward in one direction and allow slipping of the auger in the reverse direction. U.S. Patent 1,694,810 depicts a clutch construction which now is in the public domain and as to which the present invention is an improve-ment. Noise produced by the ratcheting of the clutch members is often objectionably loud in such prior art devices.
U.S. Patent 3,314,257 shows the use of a rubber iso-lator pad 112 in a non-ratcheting clutch arrangement to dampen the transmission of sound from the clutch to the spin shaft in an automatic washer. U.S. Patent 2,675,898 discloses a unidirectional, non-ratcheting drive coupling having an annular, resilient bumper ring 39.
U.S. Patent 1,694,810 to Dunham discloses a clutch arrangement for a laundry machine wherein a pair of clutch members including ratchet teeth are utilized in the super-structure of the machine's transmission to cause rotation of a receptacle during a centrifuging operation and to insure a stationary positioning of the receptacle during other operations, the rotation or stationary positioning Qf the receptacle C~
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determined by the rotational direction of a drive shaft fixed to one of the clutch members. The clutch members according to . the Dunham disclosure do not override their ratchet teeth and ~ are not interconnected in a driving relationship with the ~ agitator of the applicance.
;~, SUMMARY OF THE I~VENTION
~, In accordance with this invention, there is provided in a washing machine having a receptacle for containing a load of items to be washed, a double action agitator mounted within 10 said receptacle for scrubbing said items and for providing an ~, augering action to facilitate rollover of said items in the presence of a sufficient quantity of items within said recep-tacle, and drive means for driving said double action agitator;
said double action agitator including a first agitator member oscillated by said drive means about an axis, a second agitator member rotatabIy mounted on said first agitator member and including a helical vane for imparting a rollover movement to said items, and clutch means responsive to the oscillatory movement of said first agitator member for unidirectionally 20 driving said second agitator member; said clutch means comprising: a clutch member mounted on said first agitator member for axial movement with respect thereto and for oscil-lation therewith in a driving and in a non-driving direction, said clutch member including a plurality of downwardly-facing ratchet teeth each forming a first tooth drive surface and a second tooth slip surface; a plurality of upwardly-facing ratchet teeth formed on said second agitator member each ~; defining a first tooth surface and a second tooth surface, said first surfaces of said upwardly-facing teeth engageable 30 with said first surfaces of corresponding downwardly-facing :~.
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teeth in response to driving movement of said clutch member, said second surfaces of said upwardly-facing teeth being slid-able along said second surfaces of adjacent downwardly-facing teeth in response to non-driving movement of said clutch member and a resistance to rotation of said second agitator member i caused by sufficient contac~ with said items to be washed, said:' clutch member reciprocating axially with respect to said secondagitator member in response to said sliding movement between said ratchet teeth; a spring mounted and retained adjacent said 10 clutch member for biasing said clutch member downwardly against said second agitator member; and a cushioning member between .: said clutch member and one of said first and second agitator ~- members for cushioning the contact between adjacent second tooth surfaces of said upwardly-facing and said downwardly-~ facing ratchet teeth as said clutch member reciprocates; and wherein said first agitator member further comprises a horizontal, annular support surface; and said second agitator t member further comprises a hori~ontal, annular portion extend-ing in overlying relationship to said support surface of said s 20 first agitator member, the horizontal portion having an under-surface, and a plurality of radial ribs formed upon said under-surface of said horizontal portion of said second agitator member in slidable contact with said annular support surface , of said first agitator member.
In another aspect, the invention provides in an auto-. ,, matic washing machine havinq an oscillating agitator including ;; a top portion, clutch means for driving in stepwise unidirec-'~ tional rotation from said oscillating agitator a cylindrical, helically-vaned auger agitator, said clutch means comprising, 30 in combination: an annular cushion; a clutch member splinedly -3a-~, :
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. engaged with sai~ top portion of said oscillating agitator for oscillation therewith and axial reciprocation with respect thereto, said clutch member comprising: first engagement : teeth arranged annularly upon said clutch member, each of said teeth having a generally vertical drive surface and an inclined slip surface, and a first annular horizontal cushion bearing surface spaced radially from said first tee~h and having shoulder means for engaging said cushion; said auger agitator having an inwardly-extending horizontal portion, the horizontal portion havin~ an undersurface and bearing and wiping ribs formed on said undersurface thereof; said oscillator agitator having an upper horizontal surface spaced axially below said clutch member and engaging the ribs of the horizontal portion;
radial abutment means formed on said horizontal portion for spacing said auger agitator coaxially about said oscillating agitator upon said upper horizontal surface thereof; said horizontal portion having second engagement teeth cooperable with said first engagement teeth of said clutch member and ~, having corresponding but oppositely facing vertical driven surfaces and inclined slip surfaces; a second annular horizontal cushion bearing surface formed upon one of the horizontal portion of the auger agitator and the upper hoxizontal surface of the oscillating agitator; said cushion member being annular in shape and having oppositely-disposed first and second annular surfaces engaging both said cushion bearing surface of said clutch member and said second annular bearing surface both during drive motions and during a portion . of said slipping motions of said oscillating agitator as said clutch member reciprocates axially as said first and second 3Q teeth slip past one another upon the inclined slip surfaces -3b-!
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thereof, the cushion being compressible axially to absorb . axial impact loads therebetween; and spring bias means biasing said clutch member of said auger agitator against ' said cushion member; thereby to provide a double action agitator with a relatively noisefree ratchet-type clutch.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a general perspective view of an automatic washing machine with parts thereof cut away to show a dual-action agitator within a wash basket thereof.
i ~, ,,, ~ -3c-( ~,' :, ~ 4901-0-~W
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- Figure 2 is an elevational view of a dual-action agitator which may include the present invention.
Figure 3 is a side sectional view through a dual-action agitator similar to that of Figure 2 and showing the internal relation of parts including the clutch of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a detailed side sectional view of the top portion of the dual-action agitator of Figure 3, showing the clutch mechanism and related parts.
Figure 5 is an axial view on line V-V of Figure 4, through the teeth and cushioning means of the clutch arrange-ment.
Figure 6 is a radially-inward view on line VI-VI of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is an axial section view on line VII-VII
' of Figure 4.
s Figure 8 is a perspective view of the clutch member of the present invention.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the cushioning , 20 member of the present invention.
s Figure lO is similar to Figure 4 but shows an alter-nate embodiment of the invention.
Figure ll is a sectional view on line XI-XI of '!i Figure lO.
Figure 12 is a view on line XII-XII of Figure 3, ' showing bearing ribs between portions of the first and second ~,, agitator members.
Figure 13 is a detailed sectional view through pro-' tective ribs formed on the outside of the auger agitator 30 member.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
An automatic washing machine of the vertical axis type is shown generally at 20 in Figure 1. The washer 20 com-prises a cabinet 21 having a top access door 22 and containing , a washer tub 23 and a clothes basket 24. A dual-action agi-s, tator 25 within the basket 24 comprises a first agitator portion or oscillator portion 26 and a second agitator portion or auger portion 27. The tub 23, basket 24, and oscillator and auger portions 26 and 27, respectively, of the agitator 25 are all coaxial. Drive means 28 are connected to drive the various internal machine components during wasn and li~uid extraction ,~ operations.
As shown in Figure 2, the dual-action agitator 25 has a plurality of scrubbing vanes 30 affixed to the oscilla-tor portion 26 upon and adjacent a skirt portion 31 thereof.
The first or oscillator portion 26 of the agitator has a cen-tral barrel portion 32 which extends upwardly from the skirt 31 and is encompassed by the auger agitator portlon 27. The auger portion 27 has a helical vane 33 extending outwardly ~; 20 from a cylindrical barrel portion 34 thereof. The dual-action agitator 25 is closed at the top of the barrel 34 of the auger ' portion 27 by a cap 35.
Figure 3 shows, in vertical cross-section, the dual-action agitator 25 which features an oscillatory motion of the first agitator portion or oscillator 26 and a stepwise, uni-directional motion of the second agitator portion or auger 27.
The drive means 28 is connected to oscillate a drive shaft 40 which extends axially through the upright center portions 32 and 34 of the agitator portions 26 and 27 respectively. The drive shaft 40 is splined vertically at an upper end thereof "
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into a stem portion 42 of the oscillator 26, the stem portion ~' 42 having a cooperatively splined interior surface for receiv-ing a shaft spline 41. As shown in Figure 4, a machine screw 43 clamps the stem 42 of the oscillator agitator portion 26 to the upper end of the drive shaft 40, by acting through a plate 44 and seals 45, 46. The seal 46 is an O-ring type seal, . between the stem 42 and the plate 44, while the seal 45 is a '~ somewhat resilient washer-type seal between the plate 44 and, the head of the machine screw 43. These seals prevent leak-age of air ~rom the interior of the oscillator's barrel por-tion 32 and cause formation of an air dome therewithin for preventing wash liquid from rising within the dome to the ~ same level as the liquid in the tub.
3 In accordance with the principles of the present ~ invention, as best shown in Figure 4, a clutch member 50 is ,~, engaged with an exterior surface of the stem 42 of the oscil-,, lator agitator barrel portion 32. The clutch member 50 com-k prises an upstanding annular portion 51 having an inner surface ¦ 52 which is engaged with the stem 42. A plurality of vertical splines 53 formed on the exterior surface of the stem 42 engage slots 54 formed within the inner surface of the upstanding por-,' tion 51 of the clutch member 50. The splines 53 and slots 54 '~ permit axial movement of the clutch member 50 with respect to '~ the stem 42 while assuring co-rotation of the parts.
'~, A lower portion of the clutch member 50 comprises a clutch disc portion 55 having, on a lower surface thereof, a first engagement means 56 comprising an annular or peripheral ~, row of downwardly facing ratchet teeth 57. Each tooth 57 has a drive surface 58 which is substantially vertical. Joining ,,~ 30 a peak 59 of one tooth 57 to a base 60 of an adjacent tooth is I an inclined slip surface 61 ;~, '~
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/
The disc portion 55 of the clutch member 50 further has on its lower surface, radially inwardly of the first en-gagement means 56, a horizontal, annular surface 62 defined at its radially inward extent by a shoulder 63. The clutch mem-. ber 50 is urged in a downward direction by a coil spring 64 which bears between an upper surface of the cluteh disc 55 as at 65 and an under surface of the plate 44 which is clamped atop the stem 42 by the machine screw 43.
S! The stem 42 is attached to the barrel 32 of the oscillator agitator 26 by means of a horizontal portion 70.
In the embodiment of Figure 4, an upper surface of the hori-~s zontal portion 70 has a horizontal, annular surface 71 defined . by radially inner and outer shoulders 72 and 73, respectively.
Radially outwardly of the shoulder 73 is a spacing ridge 74 . having a radially-outwardly facing surface 75. This surface '. 75 terminates at a lower portion at an annular bearing surface '; 76 which extends outwardly to a shoulder at the outer diameter of the barrel 32 of the oscillator agitator 26.
The auger 27 includes a radially inwardly-extending, . 20 generally horizontal portion 80. This portion 80 extends radially inwardly to an abutment and bearing surface 81 which bears against the radially outwardly-facing surface 75 of the horizontal portion 70 of the oseillator agitator 26. As de-~ picted in Figure 6, the inwardly-extending portion 80 of the t auger agitator 34 has a plurality of upwardly-facing teeth comprising a second engagement means 82. The second engage-ment means 82 eomprises a plurality of upwardly-facing teeth J,; 83, each having a generally vertical driven surface 84 and an inclined slip surface 85 extending from a peak 86 of one tooth i 30 83 to a base portion 87 of the next adjacent tooth 83. The s I'f~-4~0l-0-~W
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., conflguration of the teeth 83 of the second engagement means 82 corresponds to that of the teeth 57 of the first engagement means 56. As shown in Figure 6, a web portion of the horizon-tal extension 80 is formed as a series of hills 88 having both horizontal and vertical components; the hills 88 increase the strength of the portion 80 as against vertical and torsional loads and allow a closer approach to uniform wall thickness throughout the portion 80. On an under surface of the inwardly-extending portion 80 is a plurality of radially-extending bear-~ 10 ing and scraping ribs 89. Each rib 89 has a substantially flat s lower surface 90 which bears upon the annular surface 76 of the horizontal portion 70 of the oscillator agitator portion 26.
.~ The scraping action of the ribs 89 keeps the surface 76 clean and directs foreign matter radially outwardly from the abutment surfaces 75, 81.
In accordance with the principles of the present in-vention, a cushioning member 95 is provided between the clutch member 50 at its annular horizontal abutment surface 62, out-wardly of shoulder 63, and the annular surface 71 upon the 20 horizontal portion 70 of the oscillator agitator portion 26.
The cushioning member 95 is an energy absorbing material which may be compressible such as for example, SAE F-6 felt and has s, a vertical dimens1on 96 as shown in Figure 9, under load, such that surfaces 61 and 85 do not strike each other as the clutch member 50 reciprocates with respect to the agitator portions 26 and 27. Thus the cushioning member 95 prevents full-depth tooth engagement and thereby prevents initial vertical impact between the inclined tooth surfaces 61 and 85. The surfaces 61 and 85 contact each other only upon sufficient counterclockwise 30 rotation of the clutch member 50, and this is a generally ~ 4901-0-~W
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slidlng contact rather than a potentially noise-generating impact. The cushioning member 95 substantially reduces or eliminates the noise of axial impact and absorbs the energy of that impact as the first and second engagement means 56, 82 slip past one another upon each reverse oscillation.
On the interior of the auger agitator barrel 34, above the inwardly extending portion 80, are a plurality of ' inwardly-projecting ribs 97. Each rib 97 extends vertically, substantially from the inwardly-extending portion 80 to define , 10 an upper shoulder portion 98. The upper shoulders 98 may be contactable against the lower surface of the spring plate 44 ! to limit upward movement of auger agitator portion 27 with respect to agitator portion 26 thereby ensuring the required axial proximity of the two sets of ratchet teeth 58 and 61.
A bearing plate 200 may optionally be provided as shown in Figure 4. The bearing plate may be constructed of a plastic material such as acetal which provides a suitable bearing surface for contact with the spring plate 44. The annular bearing plate 200 includes an upwardly-facing bearing 20 surface 204 and downwardly-extending annular strengthening ribs 202 for providing rigidity to the bearing surface 204.
The bearing plate rests, through portions 203 of its periphery, ~, on the upper shoulders 98 of the ribs 97; and the bearing plate includes at least one downwardly-extending peripheral tab 201 adapted to fit between adjacent ribs 97 so as to prevent rota-tion of the bearing plate with respect to the axis of the agi-i tator. The bearing plate therefore sits within the auger 'f agitator portion 27 and is substantially immovable with respect thereto once the spring plate 44 is fastened in place by ma-30 chine screw 43 on the barrel portion 32 of the agitator portion _g_ ", , ~ 4')01-0-.~W
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26, as the a~itator portion 27 rotates with resnect to the agitator ~ortion 26 and the bearingsurface 204 of the bearing plate 200, rather than the shoulders 98 of the ribs 97, will provide the contact surface for movement against the under surface of the spring ~late 44. BY
roviding a bearing Plate in this manner undesirable wear on the ribs 97 due to the relative movement between agitator portion 27 and agitator portion 26 (including s~ring ~late 44) will be avoided.
U~wardly of the ribs 97 is an annular, radially inwardlv-inclined shoulder 99 which retains a seal ring 100 , fitted about a lower portion of the agitator cap 35. The ' seal 100 makes the interior of the auger agitator portion 27 into an air dome to restrict the rise of water and particles contained therein uPwardlY between the oscillator agitator barrel portion 32 and the auger barrel portion 34.
It is also a feature of the present invention that the ~ortion of the auger agitator barrel 34 below the inwardly-extending portion 80 is Provided on its interior surface with bearing ribs 105 which are spaced apart ~eriPherally about the interior of the barrel 34. The barrel portion 32 of the oscil-; lator agitator 26 has a shoulder Portion 106 of enlarged diam-;~ eter near the lower end of the auger barrel portion 34 which portion 106 includes an outwardl~-facing surface 106a against which these ribs 1~5 maY bear. These ribs 105 and the surface 106a maintain the barrel portions 32 and 34 in a generally coaxial relation, just as the ribs 89 beneath the inwardly extending portion 80 bear upon the upPer surface 76 of the horizontal ~ortion 70 of the oscillator aqitator barrel Por-, 30 tion 32. ~urther, as shown in Figure 13, the exterior of the auqer aqitator barrel Portion 34 is provided with a Plurality of paired vertical ribs 110, 110 which extend substantially ", P.~-4901-0-~
109~054 from the cap 35 to a slightly flared lower portion 111 of barrel portion 34. The ribs 110 keep fabrics away from mold parting lines 112 which can present sharp projections which are difficult to remove economically following the molding process and may tend to snag fabrics in the absence of the ribs 110.
An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 10 and 11. In these figures, parts identical to those shown in Figures 4 and 5 have identical numbers, while those parts which are modified in the second embodiment have corresponding numbers. In the alternate embodiment, an inwardly-extending horizontal portion 180 of the auger agitator barrel portion 134 extends radially inwardly below and beyond the cushion member 195 to abut at 181 against an axially fac-ing shoulder 175 on a horizontal portion 170 of the oscillator agitator barrel portion 132. The lower, radially-ribbed sur-face 189 of the horizontal portion 180 of the auger agitator 127 bears upon an extended annular upper surface 176 of the horizontal portion 170. An upper surface of the horizontal portion 180 of the auger agitator barrel portion 34 is formed with second engagement means 82, comprising an annular row of upwardly-facing ratchet teeth 83 cooperable with the first en-gagement means 56 of the clutch member 50. Radially inwardly of the second engagement means 82 is located the cushioning member 195, which abuts the annular surface 62 on the under-side of the clutch member 50 radially outwardly of a shoulder 63 thereon as in Figure 4-5. The cushion member 195 rides at its lower surface upon a horizontal annular surface 171 of the auger agitator portion 180, outwardly of a shoulder 172 thereon.
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In the alternate embodiment of Figure 10 and 11, the cushion member 195 is located directly between the members carrying the first and second engagement means, thereby afford-ing several advantages. ~irst, such an arrangement more pre-r cisely controls the depth of ratchet tooth engagement so as to more effectively limit tooth-to-tooth impact when the clutch is slipping upon reverse oscillation. Because the clutch 50 and auger portion 180 will rotate relative to one another dur-ing the washing cycle, the cushion 195 will also somewhat damp 10 rotational tooth impact. Finally, vibration carried through the drive shaft 40 and into the oscillator agitator 26 will be damped somewhat in being transmitted to the auger agitator ~, 127 by the pressure of the cushion 195 upon the member 180. On the other hand, since relative rotation exists across the ; cushion member 195, that member must have a sufficiently low friction coefficient against the adjacent parts to permit slip-page of the clutch on reverse oscillations at a desired torque, and the cushion must also resist abrasion sufficiently to have a useful service life. However, it should be noted in this re-20 gard that replacement of the cushion member 195 is readily ac-complished by removal of the cap 35 and the machine screw 43 and slipping out the clutch member 50 for access thereto.
Operation of the one-way clutch mechanism will now be described with reference to the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, although the description also applies generally to the , alternative embodiment shown in Figures 10 and 11. In opera-tion, the drive means 28 imparts an oscillatory motion, in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, to the drive shaft 40. The shaft 40 is connected through the spline 41 to the 30 stem 42, so that the oscillator agitator portion 26 and the .
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scrubbing vanes 30 thereon oscillate in to-and-fro motions.
The clutch member 50 oscillates via its splined connection with the stem 42 and carries first engagement means 56.
, Downwardly facing teeth 57 of the first engagement means 56 engage u~wardly-facing teeth 83 of the second engagement means 82 on the inwardly-extending support and driven ortion 80 of the auger agitator barrel ~ortion 34. When the oscillator agitator 26 is driven in a clockwise direc-t tion, the drive faces 58 of the first engagement means 56 engage against driven faces 84 of the second engagement means 82 on the auger agitator. The auger vane 33 is thereby rotated clockwise, im~arting a downward motion to wash liauid and items to be washed adjacent the agitator barrel.
Upon reverse rotation of the oscillator agitator 26, th~ slip surfaces 61 of the first engagement means will bear against the sli~ surfaces 85 of the second engagement means 82 under the downward bias of coil spring 64 uPOn the clutch member 50. Although such engagement between the slip surfaces 61 and 85 will tend to rotate the auger 27 in a reverse or counterclockwise direction, such motion will be $ resisted by the contact of the wash fluid and particularly ' the items to be washed against the vane 33. Where the wash ,~ load is heavy, and forces resisting reverse motion of the auger 27 are greater than those between the sliD surfaces 61, ' 85, the clutch member 50 will rise as the surfaces 61,85 , sli~ ~ast one another. The clutch member 50 will reciprocate , on the splines 53, with the clutch member first moving in an u~ward direction until the peaks 59 of the first engage-ment means 56 reach the peaks 86 of the second en~agement means 82. Then continued counterclockwise motion of the ,,~
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oscillator agitator ~ortion 26 will carrv the first engage-ment means 56 further to the right in Figure 6, causing surface 62 to move downwardlv to contact the u~per surface of the cushioning member 95. During such downward movement the cushion member 95 is com~ressed between the clutch member 50 and the lower support surface 71, absorbing released energy from the s~ring 64, Preventing axial impact between the surfaces 61,85 and elminating the noise which would otherwise result from such imPact. Additional counterclock-wise rotation of the agitator portion 26 will cause first engagement means 56 and the clutch member 50 to continue downward movement until surfaces 61,85 engage one another.
This ratcheting of the teeth and reciprocating of the clutch member will continue in response to the continued oscillation of the agitator portion 26.
i Thus, uPo~ completion of a reverse oscillatory motion of the oscillator agitator portion 26, the clutch member 50 including the first engagement means 56 will again be moved in a clockwise direction, so that the drive surfaces 58 will again engage against the driven surfaces 84. The cushioning member 95 will not generallY
be fullv com~ressed to permit full engagement between the faces 58 and 84, i.e., with the Peaks 59 of the teeth 57 ~ touching the bases 87 of the teeth 83; however, engagement : between onl~ portions of the surfaces 58 and 84 is suffi-cient to rotate the auger.
It is imPortant to note that unidirectional movement of the auger agitator portion 27, and thus o~era-tion of the auger vane 33, is selective depending uPon the size of the load being washed. In the case of small, loosely s -14-''' ~' A- ~ 9 ') 1~
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packed loads, little resistance to rotational movement of the auger agitator portion in the non-driving direction will be present, and thus the auger will tend to be oscillated together with the oscillator agitator. As the size of the wash load relative to the s~ace within the basket 24 increases more resistance will be offered to reverse rotational move-ment of the auger, and the one-way clutch assembly will begin to operate. With large loads ~acked into the basket 24, the one-way clutch assembly will operate continuouslv and the second aqitator member or auger will provide the required auqerinq action to insure adequate rollover of the clothes load. Such selective operation is es~ecially desirable since lack of clothes rollover has been a particular prob-lem with large, closely packed loads.
Other variations in the structure described above are, of course, possible. For exam~le the clutch member 50 could be driven directly bv the drive shaft 40 rather than bv a stem 42 of the agitator barrel ~ortion 32. ~lso, the clutch member 50 could be s~lined to the auger 27 rather than to the agitator portion 26, with ratchet teeth then being formed on an upper face ~ortion of the horizontal surface 76. Although these and various other modifications might be suygested bv those versed in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon al} such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our con-tribution to the art.
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l :
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of_the Invention The invention relates to apparatus for changing oscil-latory rotary motion to stepwise unidirectional rotary motion.
The Prior Art A dual-action agitator generally includes a first . portion which oscillates in to-and-fro motions and a second or upper auger portion which rotates in unidirectional, stepwise motion$. The oscillating first agitator portion includes a .~ .
. .
lO910S~
' lower skirt portion and an upper barrel portion, the skirt portion carrying scrubbing vanes. The auger, carrying helical vanes, creates a downflow adjacent the agitator barrel in the wash receptacle and thereby causes positive rollover of the clothes being washed. It is known to use ratchet-type, spring-biased toothed clutches upon the oscillating drive shaft or a central portion of the oscillating agitator, whereby oscillatory motions drive the auger forward in one direction and allow slipping of the auger in the reverse direction. U.S. Patent 1,694,810 depicts a clutch construction which now is in the public domain and as to which the present invention is an improve-ment. Noise produced by the ratcheting of the clutch members is often objectionably loud in such prior art devices.
U.S. Patent 3,314,257 shows the use of a rubber iso-lator pad 112 in a non-ratcheting clutch arrangement to dampen the transmission of sound from the clutch to the spin shaft in an automatic washer. U.S. Patent 2,675,898 discloses a unidirectional, non-ratcheting drive coupling having an annular, resilient bumper ring 39.
U.S. Patent 1,694,810 to Dunham discloses a clutch arrangement for a laundry machine wherein a pair of clutch members including ratchet teeth are utilized in the super-structure of the machine's transmission to cause rotation of a receptacle during a centrifuging operation and to insure a stationary positioning of the receptacle during other operations, the rotation or stationary positioning Qf the receptacle C~
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determined by the rotational direction of a drive shaft fixed to one of the clutch members. The clutch members according to . the Dunham disclosure do not override their ratchet teeth and ~ are not interconnected in a driving relationship with the ~ agitator of the applicance.
;~, SUMMARY OF THE I~VENTION
~, In accordance with this invention, there is provided in a washing machine having a receptacle for containing a load of items to be washed, a double action agitator mounted within 10 said receptacle for scrubbing said items and for providing an ~, augering action to facilitate rollover of said items in the presence of a sufficient quantity of items within said recep-tacle, and drive means for driving said double action agitator;
said double action agitator including a first agitator member oscillated by said drive means about an axis, a second agitator member rotatabIy mounted on said first agitator member and including a helical vane for imparting a rollover movement to said items, and clutch means responsive to the oscillatory movement of said first agitator member for unidirectionally 20 driving said second agitator member; said clutch means comprising: a clutch member mounted on said first agitator member for axial movement with respect thereto and for oscil-lation therewith in a driving and in a non-driving direction, said clutch member including a plurality of downwardly-facing ratchet teeth each forming a first tooth drive surface and a second tooth slip surface; a plurality of upwardly-facing ratchet teeth formed on said second agitator member each ~; defining a first tooth surface and a second tooth surface, said first surfaces of said upwardly-facing teeth engageable 30 with said first surfaces of corresponding downwardly-facing :~.
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teeth in response to driving movement of said clutch member, said second surfaces of said upwardly-facing teeth being slid-able along said second surfaces of adjacent downwardly-facing teeth in response to non-driving movement of said clutch member and a resistance to rotation of said second agitator member i caused by sufficient contac~ with said items to be washed, said:' clutch member reciprocating axially with respect to said secondagitator member in response to said sliding movement between said ratchet teeth; a spring mounted and retained adjacent said 10 clutch member for biasing said clutch member downwardly against said second agitator member; and a cushioning member between .: said clutch member and one of said first and second agitator ~- members for cushioning the contact between adjacent second tooth surfaces of said upwardly-facing and said downwardly-~ facing ratchet teeth as said clutch member reciprocates; and wherein said first agitator member further comprises a horizontal, annular support surface; and said second agitator t member further comprises a hori~ontal, annular portion extend-ing in overlying relationship to said support surface of said s 20 first agitator member, the horizontal portion having an under-surface, and a plurality of radial ribs formed upon said under-surface of said horizontal portion of said second agitator member in slidable contact with said annular support surface , of said first agitator member.
In another aspect, the invention provides in an auto-. ,, matic washing machine havinq an oscillating agitator including ;; a top portion, clutch means for driving in stepwise unidirec-'~ tional rotation from said oscillating agitator a cylindrical, helically-vaned auger agitator, said clutch means comprising, 30 in combination: an annular cushion; a clutch member splinedly -3a-~, :
` 1091(~5~
. engaged with sai~ top portion of said oscillating agitator for oscillation therewith and axial reciprocation with respect thereto, said clutch member comprising: first engagement : teeth arranged annularly upon said clutch member, each of said teeth having a generally vertical drive surface and an inclined slip surface, and a first annular horizontal cushion bearing surface spaced radially from said first tee~h and having shoulder means for engaging said cushion; said auger agitator having an inwardly-extending horizontal portion, the horizontal portion havin~ an undersurface and bearing and wiping ribs formed on said undersurface thereof; said oscillator agitator having an upper horizontal surface spaced axially below said clutch member and engaging the ribs of the horizontal portion;
radial abutment means formed on said horizontal portion for spacing said auger agitator coaxially about said oscillating agitator upon said upper horizontal surface thereof; said horizontal portion having second engagement teeth cooperable with said first engagement teeth of said clutch member and ~, having corresponding but oppositely facing vertical driven surfaces and inclined slip surfaces; a second annular horizontal cushion bearing surface formed upon one of the horizontal portion of the auger agitator and the upper hoxizontal surface of the oscillating agitator; said cushion member being annular in shape and having oppositely-disposed first and second annular surfaces engaging both said cushion bearing surface of said clutch member and said second annular bearing surface both during drive motions and during a portion . of said slipping motions of said oscillating agitator as said clutch member reciprocates axially as said first and second 3Q teeth slip past one another upon the inclined slip surfaces -3b-!
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thereof, the cushion being compressible axially to absorb . axial impact loads therebetween; and spring bias means biasing said clutch member of said auger agitator against ' said cushion member; thereby to provide a double action agitator with a relatively noisefree ratchet-type clutch.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a general perspective view of an automatic washing machine with parts thereof cut away to show a dual-action agitator within a wash basket thereof.
i ~, ,,, ~ -3c-( ~,' :, ~ 4901-0-~W
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- Figure 2 is an elevational view of a dual-action agitator which may include the present invention.
Figure 3 is a side sectional view through a dual-action agitator similar to that of Figure 2 and showing the internal relation of parts including the clutch of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a detailed side sectional view of the top portion of the dual-action agitator of Figure 3, showing the clutch mechanism and related parts.
Figure 5 is an axial view on line V-V of Figure 4, through the teeth and cushioning means of the clutch arrange-ment.
Figure 6 is a radially-inward view on line VI-VI of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is an axial section view on line VII-VII
' of Figure 4.
s Figure 8 is a perspective view of the clutch member of the present invention.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the cushioning , 20 member of the present invention.
s Figure lO is similar to Figure 4 but shows an alter-nate embodiment of the invention.
Figure ll is a sectional view on line XI-XI of '!i Figure lO.
Figure 12 is a view on line XII-XII of Figure 3, ' showing bearing ribs between portions of the first and second ~,, agitator members.
Figure 13 is a detailed sectional view through pro-' tective ribs formed on the outside of the auger agitator 30 member.
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10~
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
An automatic washing machine of the vertical axis type is shown generally at 20 in Figure 1. The washer 20 com-prises a cabinet 21 having a top access door 22 and containing , a washer tub 23 and a clothes basket 24. A dual-action agi-s, tator 25 within the basket 24 comprises a first agitator portion or oscillator portion 26 and a second agitator portion or auger portion 27. The tub 23, basket 24, and oscillator and auger portions 26 and 27, respectively, of the agitator 25 are all coaxial. Drive means 28 are connected to drive the various internal machine components during wasn and li~uid extraction ,~ operations.
As shown in Figure 2, the dual-action agitator 25 has a plurality of scrubbing vanes 30 affixed to the oscilla-tor portion 26 upon and adjacent a skirt portion 31 thereof.
The first or oscillator portion 26 of the agitator has a cen-tral barrel portion 32 which extends upwardly from the skirt 31 and is encompassed by the auger agitator portlon 27. The auger portion 27 has a helical vane 33 extending outwardly ~; 20 from a cylindrical barrel portion 34 thereof. The dual-action agitator 25 is closed at the top of the barrel 34 of the auger ' portion 27 by a cap 35.
Figure 3 shows, in vertical cross-section, the dual-action agitator 25 which features an oscillatory motion of the first agitator portion or oscillator 26 and a stepwise, uni-directional motion of the second agitator portion or auger 27.
The drive means 28 is connected to oscillate a drive shaft 40 which extends axially through the upright center portions 32 and 34 of the agitator portions 26 and 27 respectively. The drive shaft 40 is splined vertically at an upper end thereof "
,, I'A-4901-0-AW
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into a stem portion 42 of the oscillator 26, the stem portion ~' 42 having a cooperatively splined interior surface for receiv-ing a shaft spline 41. As shown in Figure 4, a machine screw 43 clamps the stem 42 of the oscillator agitator portion 26 to the upper end of the drive shaft 40, by acting through a plate 44 and seals 45, 46. The seal 46 is an O-ring type seal, . between the stem 42 and the plate 44, while the seal 45 is a '~ somewhat resilient washer-type seal between the plate 44 and, the head of the machine screw 43. These seals prevent leak-age of air ~rom the interior of the oscillator's barrel por-tion 32 and cause formation of an air dome therewithin for preventing wash liquid from rising within the dome to the ~ same level as the liquid in the tub.
3 In accordance with the principles of the present ~ invention, as best shown in Figure 4, a clutch member 50 is ,~, engaged with an exterior surface of the stem 42 of the oscil-,, lator agitator barrel portion 32. The clutch member 50 com-k prises an upstanding annular portion 51 having an inner surface ¦ 52 which is engaged with the stem 42. A plurality of vertical splines 53 formed on the exterior surface of the stem 42 engage slots 54 formed within the inner surface of the upstanding por-,' tion 51 of the clutch member 50. The splines 53 and slots 54 '~ permit axial movement of the clutch member 50 with respect to '~ the stem 42 while assuring co-rotation of the parts.
'~, A lower portion of the clutch member 50 comprises a clutch disc portion 55 having, on a lower surface thereof, a first engagement means 56 comprising an annular or peripheral ~, row of downwardly facing ratchet teeth 57. Each tooth 57 has a drive surface 58 which is substantially vertical. Joining ,,~ 30 a peak 59 of one tooth 57 to a base 60 of an adjacent tooth is I an inclined slip surface 61 ;~, '~
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/
The disc portion 55 of the clutch member 50 further has on its lower surface, radially inwardly of the first en-gagement means 56, a horizontal, annular surface 62 defined at its radially inward extent by a shoulder 63. The clutch mem-. ber 50 is urged in a downward direction by a coil spring 64 which bears between an upper surface of the cluteh disc 55 as at 65 and an under surface of the plate 44 which is clamped atop the stem 42 by the machine screw 43.
S! The stem 42 is attached to the barrel 32 of the oscillator agitator 26 by means of a horizontal portion 70.
In the embodiment of Figure 4, an upper surface of the hori-~s zontal portion 70 has a horizontal, annular surface 71 defined . by radially inner and outer shoulders 72 and 73, respectively.
Radially outwardly of the shoulder 73 is a spacing ridge 74 . having a radially-outwardly facing surface 75. This surface '. 75 terminates at a lower portion at an annular bearing surface '; 76 which extends outwardly to a shoulder at the outer diameter of the barrel 32 of the oscillator agitator 26.
The auger 27 includes a radially inwardly-extending, . 20 generally horizontal portion 80. This portion 80 extends radially inwardly to an abutment and bearing surface 81 which bears against the radially outwardly-facing surface 75 of the horizontal portion 70 of the oseillator agitator 26. As de-~ picted in Figure 6, the inwardly-extending portion 80 of the t auger agitator 34 has a plurality of upwardly-facing teeth comprising a second engagement means 82. The second engage-ment means 82 eomprises a plurality of upwardly-facing teeth J,; 83, each having a generally vertical driven surface 84 and an inclined slip surface 85 extending from a peak 86 of one tooth i 30 83 to a base portion 87 of the next adjacent tooth 83. The s I'f~-4~0l-0-~W
~09105~
., conflguration of the teeth 83 of the second engagement means 82 corresponds to that of the teeth 57 of the first engagement means 56. As shown in Figure 6, a web portion of the horizon-tal extension 80 is formed as a series of hills 88 having both horizontal and vertical components; the hills 88 increase the strength of the portion 80 as against vertical and torsional loads and allow a closer approach to uniform wall thickness throughout the portion 80. On an under surface of the inwardly-extending portion 80 is a plurality of radially-extending bear-~ 10 ing and scraping ribs 89. Each rib 89 has a substantially flat s lower surface 90 which bears upon the annular surface 76 of the horizontal portion 70 of the oscillator agitator portion 26.
.~ The scraping action of the ribs 89 keeps the surface 76 clean and directs foreign matter radially outwardly from the abutment surfaces 75, 81.
In accordance with the principles of the present in-vention, a cushioning member 95 is provided between the clutch member 50 at its annular horizontal abutment surface 62, out-wardly of shoulder 63, and the annular surface 71 upon the 20 horizontal portion 70 of the oscillator agitator portion 26.
The cushioning member 95 is an energy absorbing material which may be compressible such as for example, SAE F-6 felt and has s, a vertical dimens1on 96 as shown in Figure 9, under load, such that surfaces 61 and 85 do not strike each other as the clutch member 50 reciprocates with respect to the agitator portions 26 and 27. Thus the cushioning member 95 prevents full-depth tooth engagement and thereby prevents initial vertical impact between the inclined tooth surfaces 61 and 85. The surfaces 61 and 85 contact each other only upon sufficient counterclockwise 30 rotation of the clutch member 50, and this is a generally ~ 4901-0-~W
~091()5~
slidlng contact rather than a potentially noise-generating impact. The cushioning member 95 substantially reduces or eliminates the noise of axial impact and absorbs the energy of that impact as the first and second engagement means 56, 82 slip past one another upon each reverse oscillation.
On the interior of the auger agitator barrel 34, above the inwardly extending portion 80, are a plurality of ' inwardly-projecting ribs 97. Each rib 97 extends vertically, substantially from the inwardly-extending portion 80 to define , 10 an upper shoulder portion 98. The upper shoulders 98 may be contactable against the lower surface of the spring plate 44 ! to limit upward movement of auger agitator portion 27 with respect to agitator portion 26 thereby ensuring the required axial proximity of the two sets of ratchet teeth 58 and 61.
A bearing plate 200 may optionally be provided as shown in Figure 4. The bearing plate may be constructed of a plastic material such as acetal which provides a suitable bearing surface for contact with the spring plate 44. The annular bearing plate 200 includes an upwardly-facing bearing 20 surface 204 and downwardly-extending annular strengthening ribs 202 for providing rigidity to the bearing surface 204.
The bearing plate rests, through portions 203 of its periphery, ~, on the upper shoulders 98 of the ribs 97; and the bearing plate includes at least one downwardly-extending peripheral tab 201 adapted to fit between adjacent ribs 97 so as to prevent rota-tion of the bearing plate with respect to the axis of the agi-i tator. The bearing plate therefore sits within the auger 'f agitator portion 27 and is substantially immovable with respect thereto once the spring plate 44 is fastened in place by ma-30 chine screw 43 on the barrel portion 32 of the agitator portion _g_ ", , ~ 4')01-0-.~W
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26, as the a~itator portion 27 rotates with resnect to the agitator ~ortion 26 and the bearingsurface 204 of the bearing plate 200, rather than the shoulders 98 of the ribs 97, will provide the contact surface for movement against the under surface of the spring ~late 44. BY
roviding a bearing Plate in this manner undesirable wear on the ribs 97 due to the relative movement between agitator portion 27 and agitator portion 26 (including s~ring ~late 44) will be avoided.
U~wardly of the ribs 97 is an annular, radially inwardlv-inclined shoulder 99 which retains a seal ring 100 , fitted about a lower portion of the agitator cap 35. The ' seal 100 makes the interior of the auger agitator portion 27 into an air dome to restrict the rise of water and particles contained therein uPwardlY between the oscillator agitator barrel portion 32 and the auger barrel portion 34.
It is also a feature of the present invention that the ~ortion of the auger agitator barrel 34 below the inwardly-extending portion 80 is Provided on its interior surface with bearing ribs 105 which are spaced apart ~eriPherally about the interior of the barrel 34. The barrel portion 32 of the oscil-; lator agitator 26 has a shoulder Portion 106 of enlarged diam-;~ eter near the lower end of the auger barrel portion 34 which portion 106 includes an outwardl~-facing surface 106a against which these ribs 1~5 maY bear. These ribs 105 and the surface 106a maintain the barrel portions 32 and 34 in a generally coaxial relation, just as the ribs 89 beneath the inwardly extending portion 80 bear upon the upPer surface 76 of the horizontal ~ortion 70 of the oscillator aqitator barrel Por-, 30 tion 32. ~urther, as shown in Figure 13, the exterior of the auqer aqitator barrel Portion 34 is provided with a Plurality of paired vertical ribs 110, 110 which extend substantially ", P.~-4901-0-~
109~054 from the cap 35 to a slightly flared lower portion 111 of barrel portion 34. The ribs 110 keep fabrics away from mold parting lines 112 which can present sharp projections which are difficult to remove economically following the molding process and may tend to snag fabrics in the absence of the ribs 110.
An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 10 and 11. In these figures, parts identical to those shown in Figures 4 and 5 have identical numbers, while those parts which are modified in the second embodiment have corresponding numbers. In the alternate embodiment, an inwardly-extending horizontal portion 180 of the auger agitator barrel portion 134 extends radially inwardly below and beyond the cushion member 195 to abut at 181 against an axially fac-ing shoulder 175 on a horizontal portion 170 of the oscillator agitator barrel portion 132. The lower, radially-ribbed sur-face 189 of the horizontal portion 180 of the auger agitator 127 bears upon an extended annular upper surface 176 of the horizontal portion 170. An upper surface of the horizontal portion 180 of the auger agitator barrel portion 34 is formed with second engagement means 82, comprising an annular row of upwardly-facing ratchet teeth 83 cooperable with the first en-gagement means 56 of the clutch member 50. Radially inwardly of the second engagement means 82 is located the cushioning member 195, which abuts the annular surface 62 on the under-side of the clutch member 50 radially outwardly of a shoulder 63 thereon as in Figure 4-5. The cushion member 195 rides at its lower surface upon a horizontal annular surface 171 of the auger agitator portion 180, outwardly of a shoulder 172 thereon.
.
~,, "
:,, E'A-~901-0-AW
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In the alternate embodiment of Figure 10 and 11, the cushion member 195 is located directly between the members carrying the first and second engagement means, thereby afford-ing several advantages. ~irst, such an arrangement more pre-r cisely controls the depth of ratchet tooth engagement so as to more effectively limit tooth-to-tooth impact when the clutch is slipping upon reverse oscillation. Because the clutch 50 and auger portion 180 will rotate relative to one another dur-ing the washing cycle, the cushion 195 will also somewhat damp 10 rotational tooth impact. Finally, vibration carried through the drive shaft 40 and into the oscillator agitator 26 will be damped somewhat in being transmitted to the auger agitator ~, 127 by the pressure of the cushion 195 upon the member 180. On the other hand, since relative rotation exists across the ; cushion member 195, that member must have a sufficiently low friction coefficient against the adjacent parts to permit slip-page of the clutch on reverse oscillations at a desired torque, and the cushion must also resist abrasion sufficiently to have a useful service life. However, it should be noted in this re-20 gard that replacement of the cushion member 195 is readily ac-complished by removal of the cap 35 and the machine screw 43 and slipping out the clutch member 50 for access thereto.
Operation of the one-way clutch mechanism will now be described with reference to the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, although the description also applies generally to the , alternative embodiment shown in Figures 10 and 11. In opera-tion, the drive means 28 imparts an oscillatory motion, in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, to the drive shaft 40. The shaft 40 is connected through the spline 41 to the 30 stem 42, so that the oscillator agitator portion 26 and the .
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scrubbing vanes 30 thereon oscillate in to-and-fro motions.
The clutch member 50 oscillates via its splined connection with the stem 42 and carries first engagement means 56.
, Downwardly facing teeth 57 of the first engagement means 56 engage u~wardly-facing teeth 83 of the second engagement means 82 on the inwardly-extending support and driven ortion 80 of the auger agitator barrel ~ortion 34. When the oscillator agitator 26 is driven in a clockwise direc-t tion, the drive faces 58 of the first engagement means 56 engage against driven faces 84 of the second engagement means 82 on the auger agitator. The auger vane 33 is thereby rotated clockwise, im~arting a downward motion to wash liauid and items to be washed adjacent the agitator barrel.
Upon reverse rotation of the oscillator agitator 26, th~ slip surfaces 61 of the first engagement means will bear against the sli~ surfaces 85 of the second engagement means 82 under the downward bias of coil spring 64 uPOn the clutch member 50. Although such engagement between the slip surfaces 61 and 85 will tend to rotate the auger 27 in a reverse or counterclockwise direction, such motion will be $ resisted by the contact of the wash fluid and particularly ' the items to be washed against the vane 33. Where the wash ,~ load is heavy, and forces resisting reverse motion of the auger 27 are greater than those between the sliD surfaces 61, ' 85, the clutch member 50 will rise as the surfaces 61,85 , sli~ ~ast one another. The clutch member 50 will reciprocate , on the splines 53, with the clutch member first moving in an u~ward direction until the peaks 59 of the first engage-ment means 56 reach the peaks 86 of the second en~agement means 82. Then continued counterclockwise motion of the ,,~
~ 49~ -AW
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oscillator agitator ~ortion 26 will carrv the first engage-ment means 56 further to the right in Figure 6, causing surface 62 to move downwardlv to contact the u~per surface of the cushioning member 95. During such downward movement the cushion member 95 is com~ressed between the clutch member 50 and the lower support surface 71, absorbing released energy from the s~ring 64, Preventing axial impact between the surfaces 61,85 and elminating the noise which would otherwise result from such imPact. Additional counterclock-wise rotation of the agitator portion 26 will cause first engagement means 56 and the clutch member 50 to continue downward movement until surfaces 61,85 engage one another.
This ratcheting of the teeth and reciprocating of the clutch member will continue in response to the continued oscillation of the agitator portion 26.
i Thus, uPo~ completion of a reverse oscillatory motion of the oscillator agitator portion 26, the clutch member 50 including the first engagement means 56 will again be moved in a clockwise direction, so that the drive surfaces 58 will again engage against the driven surfaces 84. The cushioning member 95 will not generallY
be fullv com~ressed to permit full engagement between the faces 58 and 84, i.e., with the Peaks 59 of the teeth 57 ~ touching the bases 87 of the teeth 83; however, engagement : between onl~ portions of the surfaces 58 and 84 is suffi-cient to rotate the auger.
It is imPortant to note that unidirectional movement of the auger agitator portion 27, and thus o~era-tion of the auger vane 33, is selective depending uPon the size of the load being washed. In the case of small, loosely s -14-''' ~' A- ~ 9 ') 1~
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packed loads, little resistance to rotational movement of the auger agitator portion in the non-driving direction will be present, and thus the auger will tend to be oscillated together with the oscillator agitator. As the size of the wash load relative to the s~ace within the basket 24 increases more resistance will be offered to reverse rotational move-ment of the auger, and the one-way clutch assembly will begin to operate. With large loads ~acked into the basket 24, the one-way clutch assembly will operate continuouslv and the second aqitator member or auger will provide the required auqerinq action to insure adequate rollover of the clothes load. Such selective operation is es~ecially desirable since lack of clothes rollover has been a particular prob-lem with large, closely packed loads.
Other variations in the structure described above are, of course, possible. For exam~le the clutch member 50 could be driven directly bv the drive shaft 40 rather than bv a stem 42 of the agitator barrel ~ortion 32. ~lso, the clutch member 50 could be s~lined to the auger 27 rather than to the agitator portion 26, with ratchet teeth then being formed on an upper face ~ortion of the horizontal surface 76. Although these and various other modifications might be suygested bv those versed in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon al} such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our con-tribution to the art.
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Claims (4)
1. In a washing machine having a receptacle for containing a load of items to be washed, a double action agitator mounted within said receptacle for scrubbing said items and for providing an augering action to facilitate rollover of said items in the presence of a sufficient quantity of items within said receptacle, and drive means for driving said double action agitator; said double action agitator including a first agitator member oscillated by said drive means about an axis, a second agitator member rotatably mounted on said first agitator member and includ-ing a helical vane for imparting a rollover movement to said items, and clutch means responsive to the oscillatory movement of said first agitator member for unidirectionally driving said second agitator member; said clutch means comprising:
a clutch member mounted on said first agitator member for axial movement with respect thereto and for oscillation therewith in a driving and in a non-driving direction, said clutch member including a plurality of downwardly-facing ratchet teeth each forming a first tooth drive surface and a second tooth slip surface;
a plurality of upwardly-facing ratchet teeth formed on said second agitator member each defining a first tooth surface and a second tooth surface, said first surfaces of said upwardly-facing teeth engageable with said first surfaces of corresponding downwardly-facing teeth in res-ponse to driving movement of said clutch member, said second surfaces of said upwardly-facing teeth being slidable along said second surfaces of adjacent downwardly-facing teeth in response to non-driving movement of said clutch member and a resistance to rotation of said second agitator member caused by sufficient contact with said items to be washed, said clutch member reciprocating axially with respect to said second agitator member in response to said sliding movement between said ratchet teeth;
a spring mounted and retained adjacent said clutch member for biasing said clutch member downwardly against said second agitator member; and a cushioning member between said clutch member and one of said first and second agitator members for cushion-ing the contact between adjacent second tooth surfaces of said upwardly-facing and said downwardly-facing ratchet teeth as said clutch member reciprocates; and wherein said first agitator member further comprises a horizontal, annular support surface; and said second agitator member further comprises a horizontal, annular portion extending in overlying relationship to said support surface of said first agitator member, the horizontal portion having an undersurface, and a plurality of radial ribs formed upon said undersurface of said horizontal portion of said second agitator member in slidable contact with said annular support surface of said first agitator member.
a clutch member mounted on said first agitator member for axial movement with respect thereto and for oscillation therewith in a driving and in a non-driving direction, said clutch member including a plurality of downwardly-facing ratchet teeth each forming a first tooth drive surface and a second tooth slip surface;
a plurality of upwardly-facing ratchet teeth formed on said second agitator member each defining a first tooth surface and a second tooth surface, said first surfaces of said upwardly-facing teeth engageable with said first surfaces of corresponding downwardly-facing teeth in res-ponse to driving movement of said clutch member, said second surfaces of said upwardly-facing teeth being slidable along said second surfaces of adjacent downwardly-facing teeth in response to non-driving movement of said clutch member and a resistance to rotation of said second agitator member caused by sufficient contact with said items to be washed, said clutch member reciprocating axially with respect to said second agitator member in response to said sliding movement between said ratchet teeth;
a spring mounted and retained adjacent said clutch member for biasing said clutch member downwardly against said second agitator member; and a cushioning member between said clutch member and one of said first and second agitator members for cushion-ing the contact between adjacent second tooth surfaces of said upwardly-facing and said downwardly-facing ratchet teeth as said clutch member reciprocates; and wherein said first agitator member further comprises a horizontal, annular support surface; and said second agitator member further comprises a horizontal, annular portion extending in overlying relationship to said support surface of said first agitator member, the horizontal portion having an undersurface, and a plurality of radial ribs formed upon said undersurface of said horizontal portion of said second agitator member in slidable contact with said annular support surface of said first agitator member.
2. In a washing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said first agitator member comprises an external annular portion and said second agitator member includes a down-wardly-extending, annular barrel portion and a plurality of inwardly-extending ribs formed thereupon, said ribs bearing upon said external annular portion of said first agitator member.
3. In a washing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said second agitator member includes an outer surface and a plurality of pairs of radially outwardly projecting ribs and a plurality of mold parting lines each located between the ribs of each of said pairs of ribs on said outer surface, said ribs protecting articles being washed from contact with said mold parting lines.
4. In an automatic washing machine having an oscillating agitator including a top portion, clutch means for driving in stepwise unidirectional rotation from said oscillating agitator a cylindrical, helically-vaned auger agitator, said clutch means comprising, in combination:
an annular cushion;
a clutch member splinedly engaged with said top portion of said oscillating agitator for oscillation therewith and axial reciprocation with respect thereto, said clutch member comprising:
first engagement teeth arranged annularly upon said clutch member, each of said teeth having a generally vertical drive surface and an inclined slip surface, and a first annular horizontal cushion bearing surface spaced radially from said first teeth and having shoulder means for engaging said cushion;
said auger agitator having an inwardly-extending horizontal portion, the horizontal portion having an undersurface and bearing and wiping ribs formed on said undersurface thereof;
said oscillator agitator having an upper horizontal surface spaced axially below said clutch member and engaging the ribs of the horizontal portion;
radial abutment means formed on said horizontal portion for spacing said auger agitator coaxially about said oscillating agitator upon said upper horizontal surface thereof;
said horizontal portion having second engagement teeth cooperable with said first engagement teeth of said clutch member and having corresponding but oppositely-facing vertical driven surfaces and inclined slip surfaces;
a second annular horizontal cushion bearing surface formed upon one of the horizontal portion of the auger agitator and the upper horizontal surface of the oscillating agitator;
said cushion member being annular in shape and having oppositely-disposed first and second annular sur-faces engaging both said cushion bearing surface of said clutch member and said second annular bearing surface both during drive motions and during a portion of said slipping motions of said oscillating agitator as said clutch member reciprocates axially as said first and second teeth slip past one another upon the inclined slip surfaces thereof, the cushion being compressible axially to absorb axial impact loads therebetween; and spring bias means biasing said clutch member of said auger agitator against said cushion member;
thereby to provide a double action agitator with a relatively noisefree ratchet-type clutch.
an annular cushion;
a clutch member splinedly engaged with said top portion of said oscillating agitator for oscillation therewith and axial reciprocation with respect thereto, said clutch member comprising:
first engagement teeth arranged annularly upon said clutch member, each of said teeth having a generally vertical drive surface and an inclined slip surface, and a first annular horizontal cushion bearing surface spaced radially from said first teeth and having shoulder means for engaging said cushion;
said auger agitator having an inwardly-extending horizontal portion, the horizontal portion having an undersurface and bearing and wiping ribs formed on said undersurface thereof;
said oscillator agitator having an upper horizontal surface spaced axially below said clutch member and engaging the ribs of the horizontal portion;
radial abutment means formed on said horizontal portion for spacing said auger agitator coaxially about said oscillating agitator upon said upper horizontal surface thereof;
said horizontal portion having second engagement teeth cooperable with said first engagement teeth of said clutch member and having corresponding but oppositely-facing vertical driven surfaces and inclined slip surfaces;
a second annular horizontal cushion bearing surface formed upon one of the horizontal portion of the auger agitator and the upper horizontal surface of the oscillating agitator;
said cushion member being annular in shape and having oppositely-disposed first and second annular sur-faces engaging both said cushion bearing surface of said clutch member and said second annular bearing surface both during drive motions and during a portion of said slipping motions of said oscillating agitator as said clutch member reciprocates axially as said first and second teeth slip past one another upon the inclined slip surfaces thereof, the cushion being compressible axially to absorb axial impact loads therebetween; and spring bias means biasing said clutch member of said auger agitator against said cushion member;
thereby to provide a double action agitator with a relatively noisefree ratchet-type clutch.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US68613576A | 1976-05-13 | 1976-05-13 | |
| US686,135 | 1976-05-13 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1091054A true CA1091054A (en) | 1980-12-09 |
Family
ID=24755066
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA276,473A Expired CA1091054A (en) | 1976-05-13 | 1977-04-19 | One-way clutch for auger agitator |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4155228A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU506013B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1091054A (en) |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE8504424D0 (en) * | 1985-09-25 | 1985-09-25 | Ernol Ab | dosing device |
| US4662223A (en) * | 1985-10-31 | 1987-05-05 | General Electric Company | Method and means for steering phased array scanner in ultrasound imaging system |
| US4718258A (en) * | 1986-04-07 | 1988-01-12 | Whirlpool Corporation | Reversing drive for triple action agitator |
| US4719769A (en) * | 1986-04-07 | 1988-01-19 | Whirlpool Corporation | One way clutch for dual action agitator |
| USD314263S (en) | 1988-12-30 | 1991-01-29 | Whirlpool Corporation | Automatic washer agitator or the like |
| US4969341A (en) * | 1990-01-05 | 1990-11-13 | Whirlpool Corporation | Automatic washer basket and agitator drive system |
| US5088581A (en) * | 1991-01-30 | 1992-02-18 | Eaton Corporation | One-way clutch |
| US5172573A (en) * | 1991-11-13 | 1992-12-22 | Whirlpool Corporation | Automatic washer basket and agitator drive system |
| US5479793A (en) * | 1994-08-01 | 1996-01-02 | General Electric Company | Minimum dwell time reed ratchet for washing machine augers |
| US5689847A (en) * | 1995-11-28 | 1997-11-25 | Maytag Corporation | Double action agitator assembly with auger when needed |
| US5611221A (en) * | 1995-11-28 | 1997-03-18 | Maytag Corporation | Double action agitator assembly |
| KR980002346A (en) * | 1996-06-29 | 1998-03-30 | 배순훈 | Pulsator device of washing machine |
| CN1067699C (en) * | 1998-11-13 | 2001-06-27 | 中国科学院长春应用化学研究所 | Preparation method of polyvinyl chloride-nylon 6 separation material |
| US6286649B1 (en) | 2000-01-27 | 2001-09-11 | Connector Set Limited Partnership | Unidirectional rotary drive mechanism for multi-part construction toy |
| US6907971B2 (en) * | 2001-12-28 | 2005-06-21 | Stackpole Limited | One-way clutch |
| US7069752B2 (en) * | 2002-07-23 | 2006-07-04 | Maytag Corporation | Auger agitator assembly |
| US6651412B1 (en) * | 2002-10-29 | 2003-11-25 | New Holland North America, Inc. | Forward clutch drive for windrow header with positive reverse drive |
| US6979268B2 (en) * | 2003-11-25 | 2005-12-27 | Cnh America Llc | Jaw clutch shock force damper system |
| JP4496348B2 (en) * | 2005-05-27 | 2010-07-07 | スターテング工業株式会社 | Small engine starter |
| US20070062224A1 (en) * | 2005-09-16 | 2007-03-22 | La Belle Kathleen M | Automatic washing machine and toroidal and inverse toroidal washing motion |
| CN100360826C (en) * | 2006-01-20 | 2008-01-09 | 王光顺 | Automatic-clutching reversible ratchet wheel device |
| BRPI0702161A (en) * | 2007-03-02 | 2008-10-21 | Whirlpool Sa | washing machine stirrer |
| MX2007002852A (en) | 2007-03-08 | 2008-09-17 | Mabe Mexico S De R L De C V | Washing machine clutch system. |
| CN101715363B (en) * | 2007-06-04 | 2014-07-09 | 通用电气医疗集团生物科学生物方法公司 | An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container |
| CN104653656A (en) * | 2013-11-22 | 2015-05-27 | 中国航空工业集团公司西安飞机设计研究所 | One-way constant-torque clutch |
| WO2018093332A1 (en) * | 2016-11-16 | 2018-05-24 | Singapore University Of Technology And Design | Multi-material ratchet-like mechanism |
| BE1025046B1 (en) | 2017-03-10 | 2018-10-11 | Cnh Industrial Belgium Nv | SLIP COUPLING FOR A WORKING MACHINE |
| US10787761B2 (en) * | 2017-08-22 | 2020-09-29 | Whirlpool Corporation | Laundry treating system and kit for use with a laundry treating appliance |
| KR102861421B1 (en) * | 2020-08-14 | 2025-09-18 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Laundary treating apparatus |
| KR102861423B1 (en) * | 2020-08-14 | 2025-09-18 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Laundary treating apparatus |
| WO2022085932A1 (en) * | 2020-10-22 | 2022-04-28 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Laundry treatment apparatus |
| US11453968B1 (en) * | 2021-03-10 | 2022-09-27 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Washing machine appliance having a removable agitator |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US577490A (en) * | 1897-02-23 | William a | ||
| US1694810A (en) * | 1925-07-28 | 1928-12-11 | Whirldry Corp | Automatic clutch arrangement for laundry machines |
| US1817660A (en) * | 1929-11-06 | 1931-08-04 | Winther Company | Transmission |
| US2675898A (en) * | 1950-09-12 | 1954-04-20 | Connecticut Variable Gear Corp | Unidirectional drive coupling |
| US2869700A (en) * | 1954-11-19 | 1959-01-20 | Gen Electric | Positive clutch with damping arrangement |
| DE1259826B (en) * | 1963-09-12 | 1968-02-01 | Richard Rhodes Walton | Agitator for washing machines |
| US3314257A (en) * | 1965-02-04 | 1967-04-18 | Gen Motors Corp | Clothes washing machine with a slipping clutch |
| US3565223A (en) * | 1969-06-09 | 1971-02-23 | Pitts Ind Inc | Resilient lining for magnetic clutch |
| GB1420081A (en) * | 1972-03-04 | 1976-01-07 | Cav Ltd | Ratchet devices |
| US3987651A (en) * | 1973-11-23 | 1976-10-26 | Whirlpool Corporation | Combined oscillating and unidirectional agitator for automatic washer |
-
1977
- 1977-04-19 CA CA276,473A patent/CA1091054A/en not_active Expired
- 1977-04-26 AU AU24559/77A patent/AU506013B2/en not_active Expired
- 1977-09-16 US US05/833,915 patent/US4155228A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| US4155228A (en) | 1979-05-22 |
| AU2455977A (en) | 1978-11-02 |
| AU506013B2 (en) | 1979-12-13 |
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